Tinubu approves N3.6bn ITF scheme for tailors, targets 200,000 artisans

By Progress Godfrey

ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has approved N3.6 billion for the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) further training programme aimed at supporting tailors and strengthening Nigeria’s informal sector.

The Federal Government is targeting about 200,000 artisans for the 2026 edition of the programme, which is designed to improve technical skills, create jobs and boost entrepreneurship among artisans.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of ITF, Dr. Afiz Ogun, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the screening of applicants for the programme.

Ogun said the nationwide screening exercise marked the first phase of the 2026 SUPA initiative and was aimed at ensuring that only genuine artisans benefit from the intervention.

He explained that applicants would undergo document verification and practical skill assessments before being selected.

“For this year, we are incubating businesses for tailors because they constitute a large number of participants. The President has approved N3.6bn for this initiative,” he said.

The ITF boss said President Tinubu introduced the programme after observing that artisans from neighbouring African countries, as well as countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and China, were taking advantage of opportunities in Nigeria’s informal sector.

He said the initiative was designed to build a stronger local technical workforce capable of meeting domestic and international demands.

“We are screening them because some people will say they are artisans, but they are not artisans. Some people just want to come and collect the Federal Government money and go. They will not participate in the training.

“We want real artisans who are ready to scale up and improve their skills,” Ogun said.

He said the programme would help organise the informal technical sector through a data collection, certification and licensing system that would enable customers to verify the credentials of artisans before engaging their services.

According to him, screening is currently ongoing across all senatorial districts in the country.

“The President wants Nigerian artisans to be trained, certified and licensed. When you engage a plumber or an electrician, you should be able to verify the person’s credentials, track performance and hold them accountable. This will improve service quality and create confidence in the sector,” he said.

Ogun disclosed that the government had moved away from the previous practice of distributing starter packs immediately after training because some beneficiaries sold the equipment rather than using them to establish businesses.

He said beneficiaries would instead be prepared for overseas employment opportunities through talent export, linked with employers for direct placement or enrolled in structured business incubation programmes to support sustainable enterprise development.

“Our extension workers, who have been trained by the International Labour Organisation, will continue to support them after the training. Technical teams will also help them maintain and repair their equipment where necessary,” he added.

He further explained that beneficiaries under the tailoring incubation programme would receive industrial sewing machines, overlock machines, specialised stitching equipment, electric cutters, consumables, business signboards, mentoring and entrepreneurship support.

The programme, he said, would also introduce a digital marketplace where certified artisans can showcase their work, receive customer ratings and connect directly with clients.

According to him, the initiative is expected to improve service quality, increase artisans’ incomes and reduce unemployment across the country.